By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: Questions have been raised regarding the recent appointments of senior IAS officers as office-bearers in the AJAKS organisation, with critics arguing that such moves may compromise the principle of natural justice.
Provincial president of AJAKS, retired Additional Chief Secretary (Home) J.N. Kansotia, recently appointed three serving officers: Vishes Gadpale, IAS (Secretary, Energy Department) as Acting President; B.S. Jamod, IAS (Commissioner, Rewa Division) as Vice President; and Santosh Verma, IAS (Deputy Secretary, Agriculture) as Vice President.
While the organisation’s bylaws may permit such appointments, concerns have surfaced over the impartiality of these senior bureaucrats in discharging their official duties. Observers fear that their dual roles could create doubts about fairness towards employees across different categories.
AJAKS primarily represents lower-rank employees, and critics argue that the leadership should emerge from within this base. With IAS officers occupying top positions, grassroots members may feel deprived of their rightful chance at representation, despite possessing leadership potential.
The imbalance becomes evident during negotiations with the state government, where other staff unions are represented by junior officials, while AJAKS is fronted by senior IAS officers. Naturally, their views tend to carry greater weight, potentially distorting the dialogue.
This has led to allegations that recent promotion rules of 2025, perceived to favour reserved categories, may reflect this structural imbalance. Even the High Court, noting prima facie flaws, has stayed the rules.
Critics have urged the Chief Minister to prohibit serving IAS officers from holding AJAKS posts and called on the newly appointed office-bearers to decline such roles in the spirit of constitutional fairness.
